


Bound

by Atsuki_Aiko



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Victorian, Arranged Marriages, Bearer, Blood, Castles, Death, Enjoy!, F/M, Gore, Kinda Omegaverse but really not, Kingdoms, M/M, Military, Mpreg, Possible smut, Romance, Servants, Slums, Stuff, Violence, a lot of complicated AU rules, actually no it is pretty detailed, beauty worshipping, binding, but not too detailed gore, corsets, fancy dresses, fancy hairstyles, female descrimination, foot binding, marriages, neutral, no female rulers, reminiscent of Victorian era, sire, strict punishments, thugs - Freeform, tightlacing, waist binding, yay!
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-09
Updated: 2017-04-04
Packaged: 2018-05-12 19:37:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,392
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5678137
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Atsuki_Aiko/pseuds/Atsuki_Aiko
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In a world much different to our own, people are categorised by whether or not they have a distinctive birthmark and what form it takes. Your category determines your future and, whether or not you are to be bound: an extremely painful process inflicted on young children...all in the name of beauty.</p><p>Levi is a young bearer born into this world of categories and injustice. Left in the lowest place in the three Kingdoms with hardly any memories prior to his 16th birthday, Levi will undergo a journey through pain, beauty, hardship and ultimately...love.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Levi

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone! Allow me to just say how honoured I am that you decided to click on this story, even if it was a mistake (which I really hope it wasn't). With the amount of on-going stories I have on FanFiction.net right now and the one on-going story on here, I probably shouldn't post another one. And I was actually going to wait until it was finished to post it but...nah!  
> I've never written an SnK fan fiction before so I hope it is up to everyone's standards! 
> 
> The Alternate Universe is a bit complicated and required a lot of research on my part. But I hope all that time and effort researching and planning will pay off in the actual story. :)
> 
> ***IMPORTANT***
> 
> Quite a bit of the AU is explained throughout the story, but here is just some really brief general info on the world:
> 
> There are three Kingdoms: Maria, Rose, Sina  
> Each Kingdom has its own military and nobles, but only Sina has royalty so the other two are ultimately under Sina's command.
> 
> There are three 'categories' within the people: Bearer, Neutral, Sire
> 
> Bearers -- male or female (males really rare), identified by floral birthmark somewhere on body. They can bear children and, in the most basic form, are expected to maintain the household and raise the children. All bearers are 'bound' between the ages of 4-7. They either have their feet bound or their waists bound which is extremely painful but considered the height of beauty (more on this in the story). Bearers without bindings cannot marry. Female bearers cannot rule but males can.
> 
> Neutrals -- male or female. Do not carry a birthmark. Neutrals have the most freedom in major life choices as they can choose any career and marry virtually whoever. They make up most of the military. They are often asked to be companions to young bearers. Neutrals cannot rule and cannot get bearers pregnant. Only female Neutrals can have children, but it can be difficult to get pregnant.
> 
> Sires -- male only. Carry animal related birthmark (e.g. tiger, scratch marks, wings etc.). Can enter military and usually rise to high positions quickly due to superior strength and endurance. Natural rulers and leaders. Bearers preferred in relationships but 'sire x neutral' allowed, they just can't publicly marry (but can legally, in private). Can impregnate Bearers.
> 
> Ok! Now that I have bored (or maybe intrigued?) you with the background stuff...enjoy the story!
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Shingeki no Kyojin/Attack on Titan and never will... Also, most of the descriptions for binding are based on actual fact and minimal is made up for the purpose of the story. The details of waist binding are the most fictional, but tight-lacing was real.
> 
> Warning: future graphic descriptions of intense pain due to binding, as well as the binding itself (may cause triggering)

It was dark…time escaped him, as well as all sense of orientation or placement. Although, it did seem as though he was lying down on something hard and uncomfortable. The not-so-slight smell of faeces, dirt and mildew began to assault his nostrils the longer he laid there, wherever ‘there’ was. 

 

“Hey!”

 

_Hey?_

 

“You there! Hey! Are y' alrigh'?”

 

_Oh…is this person talking to me? Ugh, my head is killing me…what happened?_

 

The newcomer raced over to the crumpled figure on the uneven dirt ground. As far as he could tell it was a boy, but until the person spoke or something he couldn’t really be sure. Boy or girl, they were awfully pretty, with their raven hair and pale skin. Actually, now that he’s a bit closer the person seemed to be a boy, as their hair was cropped rather short, something no girl would ever do if they could avoid it.

 

The figure sounded out a horrible, pained groan, snapping the newcomer out of their musings. He covered the last couple of meters quickly, placing his hands around the boy’s shoulders, supporting him as carefully as he could. The boy’s eyelids fluttered and squinted slightly, before enchanting grey orbs were revealed and perfectly flushed lips parted as boy let out a rather croaky, “Where am I, who are you, and what the hell happened?”

 

It took the newcomer a few seconds to reply, as he let himself soak in the boy’s deep voice, matching itself perfectly with his outward appearance. Which prompted a quick once over of the fallen boy, followed by a very statue-like newcomer. There, on the boy’s lower ribs and encompassing his waist, were thick, off-white bindings. No wonder he had been captivated by this stranger…he was a bearer! And if he remembered correctly about the colour coding of bindings, he was close to marriage age.

 

“M-My name’s Farlan. I’m not sure what 'appened to ya or how ya got 'ere, but I hate to tell y' that you’ve arrived at the lowest place in the three great kingdoms: The Undesirable Slums, or ‘UDS’ as most people call 'em. What’s your name? Do y' remember anythin'?”

 

The stranger moved to sit up on his own, pushing Farlan’s hands away. He lifted one of his own hands as if to rub it across his face, before stopping and giving it a look of sheer disgust as if it had offended him in some way. He gave his reply while wiping the palm down the side of the opposite sleeve.

 

“I don’t remember much…the UDS you say? Great. Just what I need,” there was no small tinge of sarcasm in a few of his words, “Levi.”

 

Farlan gave him an odd look.

 

“Levi. My name.”

 

“Oh! Well, it’s nice to meet’ya then Levi.”

 

Levi got, a tad unsteadily, to his feet, leaning on the grimy wall of the alley for support with another look of disgust. He brushed off his dark pants and grey undershirt, before scrutinising the dirty cream wrappings that made up his bindings.

 

Watching him check the hardened material jolted Farlan into a panicked frenzy, quickly ushering Levi further back into the shadows of the alley and throwing his own dark brown coat over Levi’s head and shoulders.

 

“Quick! Throw this on!”

 

“…?”

 

“There’s no time to explain, but you seem like the stubborn type so I guess I’ll have to do it anyway. Look…You. Are. A. Bearer.”

 

Levi pulled the coat off his head, narrowing his eyes, “Yes, I am aware of that. Thanks for the obvious.”

 

“No, no, y' don’ understand! You’re a bearer, and an attractive one at tha', in the UDS! You’ve got little, to no, memory so I’ve go’ no idea whether you’re from ‘ere or not. ‘Though, guessing from your bindings I guess not…but that’s not the point. The point is you’re in great danger ‘ere! And to make it worse you’re a male bearer! Even the oldest hags barely remember the last time a male bearer was seen, so you’re really valuable. Seriously, you gotta 'ide. And fast!”

 

Levi’s disinterested gaze didn’t waver. He simply pushed past the urgently whispering boy and exited the alley, choosing a direction at random.

 

“I can handle myself. I remember that much at least.”

 

Farlan hurried after the quickly disappearing form of the shorter male.

 

“If y' wanna go around like walking bait then fine. But ya gotta at least give yourself some sorta chance. I have a small room on the outskirts of the UDS, not far from ‘ere. Y' can stay there with me.”

 

Levi stopped, glancing at Farlan briefly before meticulously raking his eyes over their surroundings, as though keeping watch for undesirable company.

 

“Fine. But it better not be caked in as much filth as the rest of this place.”

 

Farlan laughed, only slightly offended, “don’t worry. I may live in the UDS but tha' don’ make me a slob!”

 

* * *

 

 

Despite Farlan’s assurances, the little room he could call his own was not up to Levi’s, apparently high, standards of cleanliness. However, a few hours after the bearer had set foot in the place, the room had been polished to the highest standard of cleanliness that could hope to be achieved in the UDS.

 

Despite their basic description as the category that maintains the house and bears/raises the children, Farlan knew that just being a bearer had little to do with Levi’s obsession with everything ‘germ free’. But, like most other things, when asked about it all he received was a non-committal shrug of the shoulders and a “No memories, remember?”

 

Farlan was actually rather taken aback by how calm Levi seemed to be about having no memories. He was sure that, had be been in his place, he would have been freaking out right now, trying desperately to remember what had happened to him and who exactly he was. But Levi didn’t seem to want to know these things in the least. He simply adapted to his new surroundings.

 

Another thing that constantly bugged Farlan was Levi’s bearer status. A week after he had found Levi collapsed in a dark alleyway, Levi decided that he would clean himself (as best he could) and re-wrap his bindings. In the room that left its inhabitants with virtually no privacy, Farlan became a forced spectator.

 

While it seems, on the surface, as though the re-wrapping of the waist bindings would be no less significant than changing a shirt, a bearer’s bindings are actually something much more important and intimate. There are two types of binding used by the bearers: foot binding and waist binding. Which one a young bearer would undertake would usually be decided by which feature would be predicted to grow the most: their feet or their waist. However, over time the bearers became naturally slight and the need for waist binding lessened to the point of extinction. Now, every female bearer has their feet bound…an extremely painful process performed with the aim of achieving the ‘perfect’ four inch foot (10cm).

 

Something else that gradually disappeared over time was the existence of the male bearers. No one quite knows why, but now it has been so long since the last one has been seen that they are worth ten men’s fortunes in the underground. Male bearers are now the only bearers who have their waists and lower ribs bound, as the typical male form (no matter how slight) does not come with the ‘perfect’ twenty inch hourglass waist that is so coveted.

 

However, whether one’s feet are bound or waist is bound, the fact remains that a bearer’s bindings are extremely important and, for a young sire such as Farlan to bear witness to the unwrapping of one, can be named a rather intimate affair. Of course, they were not married and Farlan was almost one hundred percent sure that Levi had absolutely no interest in him. But that didn’t make it any less embarrassing or alluring for him, especially when Levi asked for assistance in holding a few of them up while he tightened and tied them. After this episode, Farlan made a little personal goal for himself to only look upon Levi platonically and not how a sire would look at a bearer. 

 

* * *

 

A few months in the UDS had Levi showing exactly what he’s made of. If Farlan didn’t know any better (which, he actually didn’t), he would say Levi had been born to be a criminal. Well…as much as one could be called a criminal in the lowest place in the three kingdoms.

 

Before his first venture out of Farlan’s room (apartment?), Farlan raised the issue of Levi’s bindings and obvious waist that would give them away in no time. But a few stealing jobs on Farlan’s part and some, nicely done, sewing and creativity on Levi’s part, led to the creation of a ‘waist vest/covering’ that would hide Levi’s hourglass figure.

 

Now, after some publicity, people saw him as either an overly aggressive neutral or an unusually short sire; but all saw him as a new, very real threat. Levi’s small figure and (apparently retained) fighting ability and Farlan’s own skills and knowledge of the Undesirable Slums combined to form the ultimate survival duo. Over time, their ventures became more dangerous and their enemies grew. But none of that mattered as long as they stayed alive and fed.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! If you have the time, please leave a comment telling me what you think :) and don't worry, I don't get offended easily.
> 
> Also, although it may seem as though Farlan is kinda into Levi, this is strictly Eren x Levi and any other feelings are only natural reactions to being with the opposite category.
> 
> Thanks again! Until the next chapter! :)


	2. Isabel

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 2! This will be the second last chapter in the slums before we move in to more exciting stuff. These first two chapters are pretty much just a set-up for the story and an introduction to the way I'm writing the characters and the AU.
> 
> This one isn't very long, about the same length as the first chapter I think...but I'm aiming for consistency rather than length. Saying that though, the next chapter will probably be a bit longer.
> 
> Disclaimer (have I done this? I don't even remember...): I do not own Attack on Titan

Farlan stopped to catch his breath once they were no longer in any danger of being caught. He let his upper body thud heavily against the uneven wall behind him, flicking his eyes Levi’s way for a second as he also caught his breath. Levi’s intakes of oxygen seemed a tad more desperate than Farlan thought was healthy, but Levi quickly waved away his concerned expression. The bindings, and the extra clothes needed to keep them hidden, were restrictive after all. Bearers weren’t meant to do strenuous activity.

After a few minutes, the two were able to reign in their breathing and talk like average human beings again and not like gasping seals. Farlan reached inside his thin coat and brought out a medium sized hessian sack, waving it slightly.

“I think tha' one was out best yet! Check out the 'aul!” Farlan grinned, bringing out one of the still-good apples from the bag, marveling at how it remained untouched by fermentation and decay.

Levi smirked in reply, glancing slightly at the three smaller bags stashed inside his own coat. “Yes, this should last us for awhile. It’s just as well; the fuckers will be on high alert for the next few weeks at least. We’ll give them just enough time to relax their fat asses again before our next major hit.”

Farlan’s grin widened even further, making Levi edgy.

“What?”

“Nothing…just, did I ever tell ya that I thought y' would make a great military commander?”

He received a scoff in reply. “The commander? Nah, I don’t think so, that kind of fucked up position wouldn’t suit me. A corporal or a captain maybe, but not a commander.”

Farlan threw his scoff back at him, but Levi continued.

“Besides, there’s no way to leave this shit hole and I’m a bearer. A bearer can only join the military if their shitty family makes the decision for them.”

“I know jus' fine. Don’t go pulling tha' ‘we’re not getting out of ‘ere crap’; I know y' want to leave as much as I do. And I also know there’s almost nothing y' won’ do to achieve tha' goal.”

“Tsk, let’s go. The sight and smell of this place is making me fucking ill.”

Farlan, for once, had to agree. In their retreat from the merchant cart they had snatched food and money from, they had somehow ended up in the lowest place in the slums. And that was saying something for the UDS. If the Undesirable slums were the scum of the earth, the lowest place in _them_ is something truly awful.

This place was caked in the excrement of its unfortunate inhabitants. In many of the lesser-caked patches, rag clad beggars and empty-eyed prostitutes slumped in the muck. The air only became breathable through a cloth or one’s sleeve. And Farlan was quite eager to be rid of it. Although, it did make him all the more grateful for the little he did have in life. Seeing these empty husks that were once people, made his thin clothes and worn shoes feel like the finest silks in all the three Kingdoms.

Farlan was just about to pull the cloth down from around his face (finally at the edge of the horrid place), when Levi suddenly pulled up short, causing Farlan to pass him a few paces. He only stopped for a few seconds, head tilted slightly as if to hear better, before he was off in the direction he had been listening in. After a second's hesitation, Farlan followed rapidly, eager to find out what had caught the interest of his friend. The sounds of a fight reached his ears and he picked up the pace.

When he rounded the bend, he found five men severely beat up and unconscious, surrounding Levi and…a girl? She had rather untamed red hair and youthful features and couldn’t be any older than they were. What also caught his gaze were her feet…they had been bound ( _a bearer then_ ) but looked horribly misshapen. Evidently, the people who had bound her (most likely her mother or another female relative) weren’t very skilled and, with only the poorest of materials to work with and the worst conditions imaginable, the result hadn’t been something to be proud of. Judging by how the young girl sat, he had a feeling she couldn’t walk very well, if at all.

Levi turned to him as he approached, gesturing to the girl from where he crouched beside her. “This is Isabel, she will be living with us from now on.”

Farlan smiled softly, extending a hand, which she took with only a split-second of hesitation, “It’s nice to meet ya Isabel, my name's Farlan. I can only guess at what ‘appened to y', but whatever it was I’m sure it wasn’t good. I can’t say that staying with us will be much better, but it’s definitely got one up on this place." 

Isabel slowly matched his expression with a wide smile of her own, “It’s nice to meet ya Farlan! Thank y' so much! Y' too Levi! I promise I won’t be a burden; I’ll 'elp as much as I can, even with these bloody feet. I’m no' so good at running, or walking in general, but I 'ave good strong arms so I should at least be able to hijack carriages or somethin’.”

 

* * *

 

As it turned out, Isabel proved herself a very large asset to the, previously, two-man tag team that were Farlan and Levi. Just as she had said, she did have a knack for being able to sneak into carriages, sometimes taking them over without the rest of the merchant party even realising. And with a bit more food, clothes that weren’t quite as threadbare and a proper night of sleep under a roof that wasn’t about to collapse, Isabel’s visible bones began to disappear, and her legs grew stronger. It only took a few months of post-recovery ‘excursions’ (‘survival trips’ according to Farlan, and ‘necessary theft from overgrown fucktards’ according to Levi) for Farlan and Levi’s infamous reputation to extend to Isabel as well. 

“Hey, big bro?”

Levi hummed in response to the title Isabel had decided to saddle him with. 

“Do ya ever think abou' what it’s like on the outside? Like, in the actual towns? Like, where everyone works jobs and buys stuff?”

Levi’s hands stilled, where they were peeling the rotten sections off of a piece of fruit. “No. Those arrogant fuckers are the reason we’re down here. This place may as well not even exist in their eyes.”

Isabel sighed, sinking down further on their only couch, idly picking at the many fraying threads. Like the majority of the people in the UDS, she had been born and raised there and it was all she knew. She had heard wonderful stories of the land outside, with lovely little cottages and animals that weren’t skinny and diseased. She’d also heard of something called a castle! Apparently, castles were ginormous buildings made of polished stone and gold. And in those castles were people called ‘royalty’ who ruled over all the Kingdoms. It was all-too-true that here in the UDS, with its putrid air and pollution-streaked skies, it became almost impossible to think that anything could exist outside of these narrow streets. But Isabel just loved the idea of the ‘outside’ too much not to believe it was real and that someday, she might actually get to see it!

She’d already been told time and again by Farlan how he and Levi met. And, while Levi still had little memory to speak of, it was quite possible that he may have come from the outside. The very idea was thrilling.

The only blonde haired member of their infamous trio took a seat next to Isabel, looking over to where Levi sat at their little circular dining table. “Heh, no matter 'ow many times y' say that we still won’t believe ya. I think we’ve known y' long enough now to tell when you’re lyin' through your teeth.”

Levi allowed himself a smirk, “If you know me that well, then you have obviously realised by now that the floor is due for its next sweeping.”

Farlan dropped his head back with a groan, before pushing himself off the couch to grab their splintery broom. 

“Make sure to do it thoroughly.”

Farlan huffed out a laugh at the raven’s tone, he sure knew how to dish out the sass when he wanted. If, no _when_ , they got out of here, he would make sure to pity the poor fucker who would eventually snag Levi’s heart.

After knowing and living with the man for two and a half years, he knew that behind the man’s cold exterior and harsh language, was an attractive bearer who believed that no one could be his sire because he was strong and independent and no one would ever be able to surpass that strength…But, and perhaps it was just the familial bonds talking, Farlan was sure that someone was out there who could truly help him. Out of the three of them, Levi was the most mysterious, but his unusual combination of fighting ability, domestic ability (sewing, cleaning etc.) and speech patterns (crude, but often well-structured) led the blonde haired man to wonder if Levi hadn’t had it the worst out of all of them.

“Oi, I can still see dirt.”

“Aw, c’mon big bro! We sweep the floor, like, every other day! It’s not even dirty.”

“It’s not dirty because we sweep it, so get sweeping.”

Farlan chuckled at his two housemates' antics, continuing to move the rough bristles of the broom across the floor. Well, whatever the outcome of the future, his only hope was that they could live it out together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you think? Let me know in the comment section below!


	3. Farlan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Has it really been over a year since I last updated? A YEAR? I am so sorry guys, I barely even realised it had been this long, just goes to show you how little I've been keeping track.
> 
> But on better news I present to you a longer than normal chapter! Yay! This will also be the last chapter fully in the slums :)
> 
> Enjoy!
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Attack on Titan. I do own those lovely thugs you get to meet in this chapter though. :)

Levi could just make out the spiky red hair of Isabel and the, tamer, blonde hair of Farlan in his peripherals. The uneven cobblestones threatened to topple them as they pelted full speed through the darkened streets. The thin soles of their shoes did nothing to ease the jarring that rattled their bodies from the sheer ferocity of their feet against the ground. But none of the trio spared a single fleeting thought for the state their bodies were in, hurting and panting with exertion.

Levi wracked his brains, picking apart the events that led to this moment. It had just been another routine outing: scout, distract, steal, retreat. The only thing he could think of that would explain their current predicament is if the merchant had been prepared. Although, how on earth he had known when and where they were going to strike had to have been a fluke. He must just be one of the wealthier merchants, who could afford to hire thugs for an extended period of time. It was almost a pity they needed the merchants, he would have taken great pleasure in beating the fucktard’s head in good and slow.

Suddenly, Isabel’s bright hair disappeared from his sight, causing him to stop and turn back around in panic. Although she had gotten back a significant amount of strength in her legs and feet during the time she had stayed with Farlan and himself, it was obvious that she would never be as capable as she used to be before the botched binding. She had done well in keeping up the brutal pace, but it had finally caught up with her and there was no way in hell he or Farlan would ever leave her behind. Their flight had ended… it was time to fight.

 “Oh, lookie here; seems the lil’ brats ‘ave finally given up.”

The brute behind them had stopped running, taking large measured paces instead. Three more of the oversized, stinking bastards chuckled behind what appeared to be their ‘leader’. Each of them sported jagged scars and missing teeth, their bodies caked in dirt and skin oil. Levi fought the urge to outright sneer and bare his teeth, keeping his features in check with a disinterested mask. The leader’s smirk widened, showing off his blackened gums as he looked past the two boys.

 “And it seems we’ve gotten ourselves a lil’ treat for our troubles. Wha’ do ya think boys? Are ya up for some soft bearer flesh?”

Levi did let a growl slip at that, sinking lower into his defensive stance. To his right, he saw Farlan do the same.

 “Your fucking ugly mugs won’t touch a single hair on her head.”

The brute stopped laughing but kept the grin on his face, turning to rake a slimy gaze over Levi’s form. Levi felt a shiver go down his spine and narrowed his eyes, tightening his grip on the dagger at his side. He would endure it, as long as he kept their attention off Isabel.

 “I take it _you’re_ the ‘great infamous Levi’ then? You’re even more puny then they say. What a sorry excuse for a sire, eh boys?”

His belly shook with the force of his guffaws and Levi used the opportunity to strike, dashing forward to take a big chunk out of the leader’s side. Levi felt the warm splatter of blood across his cheek, but chose to ignore it, whirling around to block the downward ark of a long dagger. He managed to grapple with the thug for a couple of seconds before flinging the chipped monstrosity away, making use of the provided opening to duck under flailing arms and stab his own dagger up into the thug’s ribs. Unfortunately, he wasn’t given any time to rejoice in this minor victory as the two other followers came at him at once, yelling obscenities for taking out their buddy. Using his small stature and speed to his advantage, Levi managed to deflect the crushing blow of thug number one’s spiked cudgel, blade already coming up to guard against the second attack.

A feminine shriek sounded, momentarily distracting Levi from the advancing thug number two and he hissed in pain as the rusty sword bit into the flesh and bone of his left shoulder. Levi grit his teeth, flinging the sword away and kicking the brute solidly in the jaw, stealing his weapon. Spinning, thug number one also went down in a whirlwind of blades, blood already forming mini rivers on the dirty stones beneath him – Levi was off before the thugs even hit the ground.

 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

 

It was times like these when Isabel hated being a bearer. She hated the perverted looks she’d get from sires (and sometimes even neutrals). She hated how the bindings on her feet made her automatically weaker than everyone else. And she hated the fact that she was often useless because of it.

As the leader of the little band of stinking bodyguards held a knife to her neck, blood seeping into the back of her pants from the wound Levi had inflicted earlier, she cursed the title of bearer more than ever before. If only she had kept running, if only she could have ignored the spiking pain a little longer, if only she had endured a little more. But she hadn’t, and here she was, a convenient little captive for those that sought revenge on the ‘infamous trio’. Sure they had been paid by the fat-ass they’d tried to steal from, but there wasn’t a doubt in her mind that they weren’t enjoying this even the smallest bit.

The thug tightened his grip on her arms and waist, blade starting to dig into her flesh. She grit her teeth, refusing to utter even a single sound. She may be a captive, but there was no way she’d be a _screaming_ captive, distracting her friends fighting in front of her. But apparently, a screaming captive was exactly what the thug wanted and his arms tightened even further.  _Who knew?_ She thought bitterly, teeth starting to grind with the force that held her jaw shut.

 “Wha’, no’ gonna scream for y’ lil friends o’er there? Well tha’s jus’ disappointing tha’ is. Heh, don’ worry though, I ‘ave ways t’ make y’ wish y’ ‘ad begged when y’ still ‘ad the chance.”

Isabel didn’t even want to think about what that meant, possible scenarios flying around in her head, each more vile than the last. But nothing could compare to what he actually had in mind. And when she thought back on it later, she hoped one of the horrible scenes she had played out in her mind had come true, rather than what had actually happened.

While the leader had snuck up on her and Levi was taking out the followers, Farlan had slipped into the shadow of a nearby alley to get an overview of the situation. He had initially planned on helping Isabelle onto a balcony to hide before heading into the fight with Levi, but when he saw the leader creeping Isabelle’s way his plan changed – Levi would have to fare without him, he had his own fight to attend.

Trying to remain out of sight as he was, Farlan couldn’t reach Isabelle before the leader wrapped his filthy arms around her, pressing a knife to her throat. His vision tinted red at the action. How dare he lay his hands on one of his friends, he would pay with his life! Abandoning all further efforts of stealth, Farlan charged straight at the leader, coming at him from the side, dagger ready and eyes blazing with fury.

Despite the merciless nature of the UDS and the ‘kill or be killed’ mentality that was necessary to survive, Farlan had always avoided ending the life of his enemies. Levi usually took on that responsibility – don’t get him wrong, Levi didn’t enjoy killing and only injured or knocked out wherever possible, but he accepted that sometimes it was them or you. And he’d rather it be them. But Farlan had always been different, had never aimed to kill, or even seriously injure. But as he ran full pelt towards the creature that had dared threaten his close friend, Farlan abandoned all his previous thoughts, this thug would die – by his hand.

He noticed a split second too late. Isabelle had looked up, spying him, before her attention had been grabbed by something over his shoulder. Her eyes widened in horror, connecting back with his in a silent warning, a silent plea. Farlan understood, following her gaze behind him, and it was then that he’d wished he’d managed to hold out just a little bit longer.

Everything suddenly slowed, playing out in slow motion, the kind of slow motion you never thought you’d see, the kind of slow motion you saw after a fatal mistake. They’d underestimated the bodyguards… there hadn’t been four, there had been five. No time to slow down his forward charge towards the thug that held Isabelle, no time to turn, no time to block, only time to feel. Feel as the fifth thug’s blade ripped through his shoulder blades. Feel the rusty metal sink deep into his chest, reaching his heart. Feel as it faltered a beat. Feel as it began to slow. Then, feel as everything sped up and rushed past in a dizzying whirl of noise and colour, as sudden as it had slowed down.

Pain erupted from his chest, a deep rattling cough drove blood up and out of his throat to splatter against the dirt below. Isabelle’s shriek of grief and fear whipped past his ears. He faintly felt himself fall to the ground, the collision of knees against stone rattling his entire body, and again when the rest of his body followed. He heard the sounds of fast moving blades and the wet slicking noise as they cut into flesh, the remaining thugs falling before they’d registered that they’d been cut down. Then his friends, Levi and Isabelle, kneeling beside him, calling his name, Isabelle with tears streaming down her face. Levi shed no tears, but his expression said it all. Farlan pulled at his face muscles, forcing them into what he hoped resembled a smile. One of his hands lifted towards his friends, but fell before it was even halfway there. Levi caught it, holding his blood and grime covered palm firmly in his own.

 “Wha’s the ma’’er guys? Y’ loo’ like someone’s died or somethin’.” A wet cough escaped his lips, more blood falling onto the pavement. Levi squeezed his hand tighter.

 “Don’t talk Farlan, it’s going to be okay.”

Isabelle let out a small sob, but she refused to let out anymore than that.

 “Yeah Farlan bro! Wha’, is one lil scratch all it takes? Man you're soft. I always said I was be’er than y’ didn’ I. Looks like y’ proved me righ’.”

Farlan felt the corners of his mouth rise even further. He knew he wasn’t going to make it. They knew he wasn’t going to make it. But they were trying so hard to make his last moments happy ones, and in that moment he knew they were going to be okay. They’d mourn for a while, and probably cry, but they’d be okay, and that’s all that mattered in the end.

 “Than’s y’ guys. Than’ y’ so much, for ev’rythin’.” Farlan looked to Isabelle, she was barely holding it together, her smile wobbly, the rivulets of water running down her cheeks beginning to swell. “‘eep ge’’ing stron’er Issy. I know y’ thin’ y’ wea’er than ev’ryone else, bu’ you're stron’er than anyone I know, an’ I know tha’ y’ will see wha’ the outside’s li’e some day.” Isabelle let out another sob, shaking her head rapidly.

 “I will bro. Bu’ what’re y’ talkin abou’, your comin’ too, remember? We’ll see it together, jus’ the three of us.”

Farlan chuckled, turning to look at Levi, whose gunmetal eyes had begun to swim, grip tightening even further. “An’ y’. Loo’ after Issy ok? An’ if the ‘ime ever comes when you’re ‘iven the chance to leave this place, take it. Take it an’ never loo’ back.”

Levi nodded, “I will, you have my word.”

Farlan nodded back as best he could, before his attention was caught by something above them. His eyes widened in wonder, mouth pulled into a smile of pure joy.

 “Hey guys? The sky, I see i’… i’s so blue an’ walm. D’you thin’ I could go there? To tha’ place?”

Both Levi and Isabelle shake their heads vigorously, sad, but wide smiles on their faces. Isabelle grips Farlan’s and Levi’s hand with both of her own, teal eyes sparkling.

 “Of course bro! Y’ can go anywhere y’ want!”

Levi enclosed his other hand around Isabelle’s, the connection warm against Farlan’s rapidly cooling skin.

 “Just be sure to tell us all about it when you get back from your little trip.”

Farlan grinned, taking in a huge breath of the fresh air above him.

 

“Don’ worry I will.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... um... sorry? If it makes you feel any better I had trouble writing it :'(
> 
> Please let me know what you think, even if it's just to cuss me out about killing off Farlan so early eheh... Rest assured though this won't be a reoccurring thing. Nope. No mass murders in this story! Yay!
> 
> On another note... do you think I should add an archive warning for 'Major Character Death'? Technically Farlan isn't really a major character and I did add a warning at the start of the story but still. What do you guys think?
> 
> Thanks for reading! Until next time!


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